Gaza's Heirloom Seed Bank Reopens Amid Ongoing Conflict

In Deir el-Balah, a temporary shelter now houses the rebuilt Al Qarara Seed Bank, where Salem Muhanna and his daughter Hanadi are preserving Gaza's native seed heritage after the war razed the original facility. The bank stores heirloom wheat, barley and a range of leafy and vegetable seeds, which are valued for their adaptability and ability to be saved season after season. With most of Gaza's cropland damaged and imports blocked, the seed bank serves as a lifeline for farmers, who borrow seeds and repay them after the harvest.

The International Committee of the Red Cross helped launch the initiative in 2017, and the United Nations' Food and Agricultural Organisation reports that only a tiny fraction of farmland remains usable. Local farmer Suleiman Abu Shamas describes the seed bank as the only safeguard during the conflict, while ICRC economic security officer Osama Al-Mukhalalati calls it a "ray of hope" for the region's agricultural future.